Switch.



A. 'K. SUTHERLAND.

' SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 2B. 1916.

Patented May15, 1917.

- SWITCH.

1,226A1Ml.

Application filed October 28,

To all w'kom'z't may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER K. SUTHER- LAND, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at New Britain, Connecticut, have invented a newand useful Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates particularlg to rocking or oscillatingswitches of the pus 7 action and "medium. 7 Other objects button type,are to which and the objects of the invention provide a switch of thischaracter will be more positive and certain in its particularly whichwill automatically look at the end of each fnovement irrespective of anycontrol attempted to be ezrercise'd on thepush buttons or other operatng are to provide a switch having these desirablecharacteristics whichwill be simple and sturdy in construction, will have a high currentcarrying capacity and will be relatively inexpensive of production.

These objects I have accomplished in the main by a special constructionof detent releasing mechanism embodying a detent releasing cam which 'issupported by and travels with the switch operating rocker but which hasa special quick releasing detentfreeing movement imparted theretoindependent of the movement imparted by the rocker. This special detentreleasing movement may be imparted to the. cam by-providing the samewith dependent operating extensions which engage a dependent abutment onthe at right angles contact carrying member: v

Other features of the invention and details of construction will appearas the specification proceeds. In the accompanying drawing I haveillustrated my invention embodied in a practical commercial form, but itwill be understood that changes and modifications maybe made withoutdeparting from the true spirit and scope of the invention. I

In said drawing: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the switchmechanism as mounted in a suitable insulating base, the base here beingin section.

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken on a'plane to the plane of Fig. 1.

Fig.- 3 1 a d tail s cti nal View taken u Specification of LettersPatent.

"stantially on 'the 2.

Patented May 115, 1217. 1916. serial no. 128,321.

stantially on the plane of the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken subplane of the line H of .Fi 5is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating t e latch releasing operationof the cam. Considering the drawin now in detail: desi ates aninsulating base of typical construction for the style of switch shown,this base being in the form of a hollow box, across the top of whichextendsa bridge or yoke-piece 11 which sup orts switch mechanisln andforms a -ide $01 the push buttons 12 and 13. 14: an 15 indicate therelatively stationary switch contacts suitably mounted in the base. i

The movable switch contact, and the operating and controlling mechanismtherefor are mounted on the supports 16 dependent spring 25 engages, theother end 26 of the throwing spring being engaged over a lug 26 on theoperating rocker.

27 designates the latch or detent for the contact carrier, the samebeing shown, in the form of an outstanding lug 28 working in a guideslot 29 in one of the standards 16, said lug being carried by the slide30 guided for vertical movement side of the standard and normallypressed downward into holding engagemelit in front of the detent head bya spring The detent is released by a cam plate 32 having a cam track 33on "its. upper edge engaging a stud 34 on-the detent slide and providedwith laterally projecting lugs 35 at the inner ment while the upper endat the opposite ends thereof of the downwardly inclined opposite endportions 36 of the rocker. The detent slide is slotted at 37 to slidefreely vertically over the pivot pin 19 and the cam is also providedwith an elongated transversely extending slot 38 so that it can workfreely over the pivot pin.

The cam plate is furthermore provided with dependent supportingextensions 39 .near the opposite ends thereof and below the supportinglugs 35 which, as indicated in Fig. 5, are so dependent abutmenttact'carrier. I

In operation, pressure on the projected button (the one at the left inFig. 1) swings the rocker on its pivot as indicated in Fig 5, placingthe throwing spring under ten sion in readiness to snap theswitch.contact as soon-as the detent releases the same. During thisrocking movement of the switch operating rocker, ported by and movesalong the camtrack thereon lifting the detent durin'gthis movement. Justprior to the releasing of the detent from the contact carrier, thedependent extension 39 at the lower end of the cam engages with the thenstationary dependent abutment portion 23 of the carrier so that in thefurther continued movement of the rocker this lower end of the cam issupported by this abutof the cam ful crums on the supporting lug at thatend of the cam. The independent movement of the cam thus obtained causesthe detent to be snapped quickly from in front of the detent head on thecontact carrier and, as the contact swings over, to .drop quickly behindthe other end of the detent head, positively locking the switch in itsnew position. The support 23 which serves to lift the lower end of thecam off the rocker, being carried by the switch carrier is snappedsuddenly from under the cam by the throwing movement of the movableswitch contact, and thus allowing the detent to fall freely back intoits retaining position, deprives the operating buttons of any controlover the detent and prevents the detent being heldup out of itsoperative position by the manipulation of the buttons.

What I claim is:

1. In a switch of the character set forth, a rocking contact carryingmember, a detent for said contact carryin member, an operating rocker,and a cam fbr freeing the detent from the contact carrying membersupported by'the rocker and normally rocking therewith and also having amovement independent of said rocker movement.

2. In a switch-of the character set forth,

a rocking contact carrying member, a detent for said contact carryingmember, an operatbearing on top disposed asto engage the portion 23 ofthe conr' the camis sup-- with therocker,

ing rocker, a cam for freeing the detent from the contact and movablewith the rocker, and means for shifting said cam on the rocker tothereby impart a detent-freeing movement thereto in addition to themovement imparted thereto by the rocker.

3. In a switch of the character set forth, a rocking contact carryingmember, a detent for said contact carrying member, an operating rocker,a cam for freeing the detent from the contact carrying member supportedby and movable with the rocker, and means for shifting said cam on therocker to thereby impart a detent-freeing movement thereto in additionto the movement imparted thereto by the rocker including an abutmentdisposed in the path of movement of the cam and arranged'by engagementwith said cam to produce a detent-freeing movement of the cam.

4. In aswitch of the character set forth, a rocking contact carryingmember, a rocker for operating the same, a detent for the contactcarrying member, a cam disposed alongside the rocker and operativelyengaging the detent, said camhaving supporting lugs resting on therocker and dependent operating portions extending below the rocker andan abutment disposed in the path of movement of the dependent operatingportions of the cam. a

5. In a switch of the character set forth, a rocking contact carryingmember provided with a dependent abutment, a detent for said contactcarrying member, an operating rocker and an operating cam for the detentsupported on the rocker and having dependent portions for engagementwith the dependent abutment of the contact carrying member.

6. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch operating rocker, arocking contact carrier, a detent for said carrier, a c'amfor releasingsaid detent supported at opposite ends on said rocker. and means forfulcrummg said cam on said points of support at opposite ends of therocker.

carrier.

8.. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch operating rocker, acam'having lugs at opposite ends thereof bearing on opposite endportions of the rocker and dependent supporting extensions at oppositeends of the cam beneath said lugs, a rocking contact carrier, a detentfor said carrier operated by the cam and means engaged by thedependdependent abutment portion of the contact carrying membersupported by rocking movement thereof.

- p1v0t, a detent for said contact carrier, 2.

copigis of this potent may be obtained for five tents each,

ent supporting extenslons of the cam in the a, cam for operating thedetont loosely engaged over the pivot and havlng supporting 9. In aswitch of the character set forth, lugs at opposite ends thereofbearingon' the up a .p1vot, acontact carrier mounted on said downwardly.inclined opposite end portions of therocker. rocker mounted on the pivothaving down- Ward ly inclined opposite end portions and DER SUTHERLAND.

by addressing the (lomlilissioner of P atezits,

Washingto D. 0.

